


Man Enough

by BabblingBrooke



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, F/M, Implied Relationships, Other, Past Relationship(s), Sadness, Some Fluff, Songfic, it's Magnolia's song at the end, kinda???, nora is a bad guy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 18:58:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11168064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabblingBrooke/pseuds/BabblingBrooke
Summary: Going back to Goodneighbor after everything that went down between Anna and Hancock isn't easy, but it was necessary. After Nora sided with her son, the Institute was more powerful than ever, and the Railroad needed help more than ever. Anna decided they couldn't sit back and just do nothing anymore. So they were meeting with one of the top Railroad agents in their favorite city in all of the Commonwealth, so long as they didn't see Hancock.





	Man Enough

         Goodneighbor is one of those cities that was always alive. Even in the dead of the night, people swear they could hear Magnolia’s songs for miles, her sweet, sultry voice leading them to refuge within Goodneighbor’s walls. Anna always smiles when they hear her, her songs always resonating deep in their bones, especially now. Walking into the city they used to want to call home felt foreign after so long, but still welcoming as they earned a few raspy but excited hellos from the neighborhood watch and a big, wide smile from their favorite merchant.

  
         “Daisy! How have you been? Got anything good worth a trade?” They ask, smiling at their friend.  
         She laughs lightly, looking over her shoulder for a moment. “Not at the moment, Anna. ‘Fraid things are just as they’ve always been. Mediocre and overpriced.” She jokes, earning a muffled laugh from one of the neighborhood watch outside her shop.  
         Anna smiles softer, looking down and kicking a rock on the dirty floor. “Figured. Well, it was good to see ya. I’ll stop by before I leave town- I have some business to attend to.” They say, turning to leave.  
         “With John? Good luck, he’s been cooped up in that State House for weeks since she left” She almost spits at the mention of her, obvious resentment still burning through her blood.  
         Anna shakes their head. “No, not John. I gotta go before I’m late- See ya around” They say quickly, trying to keep themself from getting too sad.

  
         They walk out of her shop, waving lightly at Daisy a soft goodbye, waving to KL-E-O as they pass her. They catch a glimpse of Fahrenheit, slipping into the State House and they walk faster to the Third Rail, taking a moment to look up at the Balcony leading to Hancock’s office. Their eyes widen as they hear the door begin to open and they rush into the bar. Ham smiles at them, tipping his hat lightly, saying it was good to see them before letting them on their way.  
Magnolia’s voice travels through the air, relaxing them instantly as they walk down the stairs. The closer they get to the bottom, they could hear soft murmuring, the gentle buzz of conversation as she sings. A few regulars say hello, raising their bottles in greeting before turning back to their conversation. Anna pulls up a stool in front of Whitechapel Charlie, smiling at the old Mr. Handy.  
          “As I ‘ive and breathe- Anna! Been a long time since you and Mister ‘ancock had come into my bar. Is the ol’ bloke on his way down?” He asks, almost excitedly, making their smile falter a bit.  
         “Sorry Chuck, just me today. I have some business without Hancock.”  
         The robot looks almost sad as he arms drop a bit and he turns away, quickly making them a drink and placing it in front of them. “Oh… Well, this one’s on the ‘ouse, but the next you’re payin’ for… Good to see ya, mate.” He says before moving to a new patron.  
         They thank him, taking a sip and looking around. They notice most are usual's with a couple travelers relaxing. They look at their pip-boy and sigh, it’s late, maybe he’s not here yet.

  
         Time rolls by and it feels like hours have passed and a couple overpriced drinks later, they start to collect their stuff when they feel a tap on their shoulder.  
         “Excuse me but, Do you have a Geiger counter?”  
         Their eyes widen slightly when they’re met with a tall man wearing road leathers, his sunglasses and dark hair giving him a mysterious look about him.  
         “Mines in the shop” They respond, turning to fully meet him as he smiles.  
         “Whisper? Des said you’d be easy to spot with your hair, but I didn’t realize how right she’d be” He says, holding his hand out to shake.  
         They smile back and grab his hand, shaking it lightly before letting their face drop. “Took you long enough. Do Railroad agents usually take that long to meet other agents?”  
         He laughs lightly, “No, Sorry about that. I had to get myself a little cleaned up after a mission. I didn’t want to meet my new partner, covered in blood- Unless you’re into that sort of thing.” He teases  
         They look at him amused. “Partners? Desdemona didn’t say anything about that.”  
         He looks over at the patron beside them before looking over his shoulder. “Mind if we go somewhere a little more private? Privacy can be a good thing” He says, nodding towards the room at the back of the Third Rail.  
         They glance over at the room before looking at the man beside them, catching him quickly look away like a dog who's been caught doing something bad. They nod and hop off the bar stool. “Good idea.” They say before grabbing a couple beers from behind the counter and leaving behind some caps.  
         The room is empty when they walk in, both of them sitting back on the couch. Anna hands him one of the beers before crossing their arms and taking a small sip as they look over at him, trying to read him.

  
         “So to answer your question from before, Des told me that you were going to be my new partner. Something about how I’m the best agent the Railroad’s got and she wants you to train under me and blah blah blah” He jokingly brags, taking a drink of his beer. “So she told me to meet you here, tell you what’s going on and then get going on a couple dead drops we need to take care of.” He explains, watching them carefully behind his dark lenses.  
         They nod slightly, taking another drink. “And who are you?”  
         “Deacon. Intel extraordinaire, at your service” He says, bowing his head slightly and giving them a cheeky smile.  
         They scoff and look away, trying not to smile “Are the other agents this insufferable?”.  
         He smiles wider, “Nah, just me, it gets better when you get used to it.” He jokes. “So, how did you convince ol’ Dessy to let you into the Railroad.”  
         “I followed the freedom trail- proved my worth”  
         “Why now though? You used to work for Hancock right?”  
         They look away, frowning a bit. “Not for. With and that’s over now.” They mumble, taking a big swig.  
         Deacon frowns, he didn’t mean to touch a sore spot. “Oh, Well he lost a hell of a companion and I gained one, so I guess I’m the lucky one. You seem like the brawn, brains, and beauty type” He flirts, trying to lighten the mood.  
         He gets an amused huff and a small smile. “Really? You just met me.”  
         “It’s my job to read people, I’m just telling you what I’m seein’ ”.  
         “Yeah? What else are you reading?”  
         “You’re sad.. Something happened between you and the Mayor, didn’t it.” He says softly.  
         They nod slightly, rolling the almost empty bottle between their palms.

         Something did happen, a lot happened actually. Everything had been going so great between them. His company was good, the atmosphere was good, the sex was great, and his city had a way of making them forget all the shit they have to go through on an almost daily basis. They remember Hancock trying to win them over for weeks, always inviting them to the Third Rail for drinks, flirting with them heavily, trying to get them to come up to his office to try out some chems with him. His charm was something unforgettable. When they finally agreed to go out for a drink, it turned into more and more drinks, then it was flirting back, then going up to his office, but for a lot more than just chems. They got closer and closer- almost in love.  
         Thinking back to it now, Anna knew they probably were in love but neither of them wanted to admit it. They just wanted to have good fun and good sex and not really think about what they were. Slowly they were at Goodneighbor in between jobs more often than not. Everyone knew them and everyone knew they were Hancock’s and he was theirs.  
         Things, as they will, went sour and fast. They remember hearing Travis talk about the sole survivor of Vault 111, going around the Commonwealth and helping people with them Minutemen. One week later, this sole survivor had found her way to Goodneighbor and into Hancock’s office. Three weeks later, Hancock told them he decided to go out and join them on their search for their son. The next time they saw him, it was at a settlement on the coast. He told them he fell in love with the sole survivor. It looked like it pained him to say that to them but he didn’t look sorry. They just nodded and told him they were happy for him and found the quickest route out of the Commonwealth.  
         They stayed in the Capital Wasteland for a few months, doing jobs down there and avoiding the Commonwealth all together. They caught the news of the sole survivor double crossing all the factions she’d been a part of- The Minutemen, The Railroad, The Brotherhood of Steel- all of them, when she found out that her son was really a 70 year old man who was the leader of the Institute. She sided with him and broke off all ties with her commonwealth friends. All of them, including Hancock, were left shocked and heartbroken.  
         They came back a few weeks after that. It wasn’t until they were inside the protective walls of Goodneighbor that the sting in their heart resurfaced. They weren’t as good at hiding it as they thought.

  
         “So you’ve got me figured out?” They ask after a minute or two.  
         Deacon shakes his head. “No, just slightly pieced together.” He mumbles, looking over at the hall leading out to the bar as the sound of Magnolia’s smooth voice came pouring in. “Do you want to dance?” He asks, setting his beer down.  
         They look at him strangely, almost snorting a laugh. “Do you ask everyone that?”  
         “Just the ones who look like they need it. Come on. One song- It’s a good one too”  
         They watch him stand and hold his hands out, trying to urge them to get up. After another moment they sigh and put their beer down and take his hands, mumbling “Why the hell not.”  
         He smiles, grabbing their hand and placing his hand on their upper back, starting to sway with them as Magnolia sings.

 _“I got arms to hold you tight_  
_I've got charms to keep you with me at night_  
_I've got all that you could ever want_  
_I just need a man who's man enough”_

         Deacon looks down at them, his glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose slightly, not enough to reveal his eyes though, “I hope I didn’t upset you.”  
         Anna looks up at him before shaking their head, “Don’t worry about it.”  
         “You’re my partner now. It’s part of my job to worry about you.”

 _“Don't need another casual lover_  
_Walkin' out the door in the morning light_  
_I want a man who can stand on his own_  
_Without lookin' for another lover every night”_

         “She wrote that part about me, you know”  
         They laugh slightly, “Really? You’re her casual lover?”  
         He smiles when they laugh, nodding. “Yeah. You don’t believe me?”  
         “No. I don’t” They mumble, smiling back at him.

 _“If you got style and you know how to please_  
_And a smile that makes me weak in the knees_  
_If you're a guy who is gentle and tough_  
_You might be the man who's man enough”_

         He spins them smoothly, taking a step in, swaying more with them and making them laugh.  
         “You’re quite the dancer, Deacon.”  
         “I have to know how to blend into any situation. I know a lot- there’s a lot I have to teach you too.”  
         “Well I can’t wait.” They mumble leaning into him slightly, lightly resting their head on his shoulder, swaying slower. They missed doing things like this- maybe it was the beer or maybe it was the music or a combination of them both, but they felt okay for a little bit- better than they have felt in a long time.

_“You might be the man who's man enough”_

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I've posted something on here, so I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading <3


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